Asiri Hotel
Asiri Hotel is situated 5 kilometres on the Ja-Ela Bopitiya road.Although this was not a Star Class Hotel,it was a beautiful place to be.The Portuguese Canal connected to the Dandugam Oya and then to the Negombo Lagoon.A trip by boat takes you definitely to another world indeed.This is a different experience altogether.Thousands of different species of
birds, schools of fish, flowers, crocodiles, illicit liquor distillers.What not but everything is friendly.
Tourist enjoys every single minute of the journey.Other income to this hotel was from wedding ceremonies and letting rooms.This hotel had 25 comfortable rooms.It's surroundings were scenic and with a mini zoo adding more colour.
The Properitor of this place was ex minister Felix Perera's,brother Tennison Perera.I was appointed as Hotel Manager in the year 1998.
With all the comfort I got as a manager I never liked working at Asiri.I was always looking for an opportunity to go from there.My room was situated on the first floor of the hotel.A nice room which was also very comfortable and I enjoyed every single moment spent in the room.Whenever I was in the room I used to write something or sleep.
Normal and Wedding couples used to patronise this hotel.The Properitor was very friendly and used to drag me every now and then for a conversation.He sometimes boasts about how he managed to use his brother's influence to get this land,where Asiri Hotel is On.Another time he told me about his Garment Manufacturing Factory in Ja-ela.
His piggery farm and how he got a lot of protest from the people around and finally with the manure of the Piggery.He invented gas and distributed it to about 25 houses and shut all the neighbours mouths.
Days and months passed by and one evening he came up with another astonishing story.The story that really made me decide to leave this hotel.
He came out with a story which really made me wonder and scared.There was a Lady who visited the hotel with many different men.She was from Kurunegala in a house situated somewhere behind the Welegedara Cricket Stadium.Her husband had left her 3 years ago and she had to up keep her family and was compelled to do prostitution.
Her husband also had a habit of visiting prostitute dens and picking up women of his choice.One day while visiting such a den discovered his own wife in one of these dens.For a while he was angry and demanded that his wife to come with him immediately.She refused and he went to the police and wanted his legal wife back.The police intervened and she was persuaded to go back to her husband.
He brought her to Asiri Hotel and seemed to be very happy enjoying the beauty of the mini zoo and its birds and animals.In the meantime both of them made up for the lost times.He had also visited the bar and had about 3/4 bottle of arrack on three intervals.They had their dinner and everyone in the hotel went to sleep.
The two hotel workers and security guard was sleeping under a fan in the hall adjoining the stairway.
They were in Dreamland when suddenly they got up to the sound of a jump.This man wanting to avoid the staff made a jump from 1st Level of the stairs to the ground floor.When they saw the man,he came politely to them and told them about a sudden need which he had arisen and he had to go and to look after his wife and give her some breakfast in the morning.
Ample money has been left behind with her and she would settle all the bills.He said bye and started walking towards Ja-Ela. However these three did not buy his story.The room boy quickly ran up and tapped the door but there was no hum.
Then he had to open the door with the spare key.However all this happened within a period of 20 minutes.He then discovered the dead body of that woman lying on a side of the bed.He ran down and told the other guys to call boss and took a large knife from the kitchen and set off on a bike towards Ja-Ela.The Culprit was walking hurriedly and the room boy approached and caught him.
Threatening to kill the man,he managed to get him on the front of the bike and rode it back to the hotel.The three guys caught him and tied him on to a tree.The boss arrived and inspected the room and the body and informed the police.The police and ambulance arrived.The body was taken to the Ja-Ela hospital.
Before the police took the man,the boss of the hotel asked him about what happened and he related the story which I told you before.And what made him kill his wife was that he had found a telephone index containing hundreds of men,who used to have connections with her.
Seeing this index,an argument started and he was anyway after liquor, choked his wife by pressing his leg to her throat and supported by the head board of the bed from the back.She died and you know the rest of the story.
The boss of the hotel had to shoulder the entire funeral expense.He was also good enough to give an almsgiving.She had three children,so the boss helped them when required.The case was heard and he was given a sentence of 3years imprisonment.
After relating the story and a sigh,the boss told me that I am occupying the same room where this murder took place.
A chill ran down my spine that very moment.I quickly moved to a smaller and a less comfortable room.I occupied this room,until I left the hotel two months later.
Peter Arendtsz
30/05/2020
